MONMOUTH COUNTY EXPECTED TO LEAD STATE IN PILOT PROGRAM TO IMPROVE PROPERTY TAX ASSESSMENTS

Bipartisan legislation sponsored by Assembly Republicans Caroline Casagrande and Declan O’Scanlon to save property taxpayers money by sharing property assessment resources countywide has been signed into law today by Governor Christie.

The legislation establishes a pilot program for counties to implement a standard software program for local tax assessors to use, which would streamline the process and give officials a more accurate tax rate while reducing costly appeals for property taxpayers. Casagrande and O’Scanlon represent Monmouth County, which is expected to be among the first counties to participate in the demonstration project.

“When every town in the county has to assess property, there is no need to reinvent the wheel several times, especially when the current process is often confusing and inaccurate for taxpayers,” Casagrande, R-Monmouth, said. “Having everyone on the same page and adjusting a few deadlines are cost-free common sense solutions that will save property taxpayers money in the long run through efficiencies and a more accurate property tax system. Municipal budgets will be based on real dollars, not guesstimates that don’t always hold up.

“Monmouth County is eager to demonstrate to New Jersey that working together will save property taxpayers money and thanks to Governor Christie, our county will get that opportunity,” Casagrande added.

The law, S-1213/A-1591, will allow a standardized process for assessments that would be used by every town in the county for all future revaluations and reassessments. The four-year pilot will be limited to four counties.

“This will be a revolutionary way to essentially fix our current, expensive, flawed assessment system,” O’Scanlon, R-Monmouth, said. “It will rework the entire process so that towns are no longer burdened with uncertainty as to the value of their tax base, facilitate remedying unfair and outdated assessments, and will obviate the need for expensive town-wide reassessments and the dramatic valuation shifts that go along with them.

“This pilot program will very likely pave the way to the future for our assessment systems throughout the state,” O’Scanlon added.

American Conservative Union, the folks who put on the CPAC conventions and who have since 1971 been rating the conservatism of members of Congress have rated the conservatism of New Jersey’s state legislators.

ACU tracked the votes on 11 pieces of legislation for Assembly members and 9 votes in the Senate. Those who voted the way ACU favored 100% of the time were declared “Defenders of Liberty.” Those who voted with ACU on 80% or more of the bills earned the designation “ACU Conservative.”

Those legsilators who never voted the way ACU favored, most of the Democrats, earned the designation “True Liberals of the Garden State.”

Some of the results in the Monmouth County delegation, Districts 11, 12, 13 and 30, are surprising. At least they are to me.

If you asked me to predict who among the Monmouth County delegation would have earned a 100% conservative, “Defender of Liberty” designation I would have guessed only 11th District Assemblywoman Caroline Cassagrande. I would have guessed wrong. Cassagrande didn’t even make the 80% “ACU Conservative” cut. She voted the ACU way 8 of 11 times for a 73% rating. The 3 votes Cassagrande cast that did not meet ACU approval were for 1) for legislation that requires businesses to post notices that employees have the right to be free from gender inequality, 2) for legislation that would ban treating waste water from fracking and 3) a bill that provided tax credits for electric car charging stations.

triCityNews publisher Dan Jacobson told MoreMonmouthMusings that he will not be a candidate for Assembly in 11th district Republican primary because, “it just doesn’t feel right.” “I like both incumbents,” Jacobson said of Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini and Caroline Cassagrande, “it wouldn’t be like challenging Sean Kean.”

Jacobson of Asbury Park, a former Democratic member of the Assembly, registered as a Republican last month in preparation of challenging Kean in the Senate primary. The new legislative map moved Kean, of Wall, into the 30th legislative district. Kean will be running for Assembly in the 30th, as Republican Senator Robert Singer, Lakewood, also resides in the new 30th.